Biden Apologizes for Response to CNN Reporter After Putin Meeting
Summary from the AllSides News Team
President Joe Biden apologized after a curt encounter with a CNN reporter at a solo news conference Wednesday following his meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin. CNN’s Kaitlan Collins asked Biden why he felt so "confident" Putin would change his behavior. Biden replied, ""I'm not confident he'll change his behavior. What in the hell, what do you do all the time?...I said what will change their behavior is if the rest of the world reacts to them and diminishes their standing in the world." After Collins pressed Biden for an answer on why he said he considered the meeting "constructive," he replied, "If you don't understand that, you're in the wrong business," before finally walking away. Biden's response garnered wide backlash from reporters on social media. Later, Biden addressed reporters before boarding a plane and apologized for his exchange with Collins. “I apologise for having been short,” Biden said, adding, “You never ask positive questions...Look, to be a good reporter, you’ve gotta be negative. You’ve gotta have a negative view of life, it seems to me, the way you all ... you never ask a positive question.”
Some criticized Biden for "demeaning" behavior toward a female reporter. Some on the right used the incident to draw parallels between Biden's relationship with the media and Trump's relationship with the media; some right voices also highlighted the fact that Biden sometimes pre-selects journalists during press conferences and "flips out" when pressed by reporters. Others on the left said Biden shouldn't have lost his temper, but criticized Collins for allegedly putting words in Biden's mouth.
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From the Center
Joe Biden Spars With Reporter Who Asked Why He's 'Confident' Putin Will Change BehaviorPresident Joe Biden sparred Wednesday with a reporter who asked what makes him confident that Russian President Vladimir Putin will change his behavior.
The tense exchange happened during Biden's solo news conference following his first face-to-face meeting with Putin as president. The two leaders were in Geneva for the summit.
"Why are you so confident he'll change his behavior, Mr. President?" CNN's chief White House correspondent, Kaitlan Collins, asked Biden at the end of the news conference.
From the Left
Biden apologises for snapping at CNN reporter: ‘I shouldn’t have been such a wiseguy’President Joe Biden has apologised after snapping at a CNN reporter at a press conference following his summit with Russian President Vladimir Putin on Wednesday.
Asked why he was “confident” that Mr Putin would change his behaviour by CNN’s Kaitlan Collins, Mr Biden appeared agitated, responding: “I’m not confident.”
“What the hell, what do you do all the time?” he asked.
As Collins tried to speak, Mr Biden continued, saying: “When did I say I was confident?
“Let’s get this straight,” the president said. “I said what will change their behaviour is if the rest of...
From the Right
Biden snaps at reporter over Putin question: 'You're in the wrong business'President Biden snapped at a reporter at the end of his press conference Wednesday in Geneva after she asked why he was "confident" Russian President Vladimir Putin would change his previously malign behavior.
Biden, who was walking away after saying he was committed to freeing Americans imprisoned in Russia, whirled around at his questioner and said, "I'm not confident he'll change his behavior. What in the hell, what do you do all the time?"
As CNN's Kaitlan Collins tried to speak, Biden stuck up a finger and continued, "When did I...
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